A New Journey
by Jedi Eowyn
Summary: Remeber the Pokemon trainer A.J.? Green hair, Sandshrew, and slightly annoying accent? Yeah, that guy. This is a story of his Pokemon journey.
1. The Beginning

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or any of their creatures, if I did I would not waste my time writing fanfics--Duh!   
This is my first fancfic so please read w/an open mind!! 

A NEW JOURNEY 1: THE BEGINING 

A.J. smiled as he picked up his backpack. The sun had not quite risen above the trees, and the air still held its nighttime coolness. "C'mon Sandshrew, time to get movn'" he ordered his companion, "We've got a lot of ground to cover before we reach Pewter and the sooner we get gon', the better." A.J. had just started out on his Pokemon journey a few days ago, during which he had pretty much wandered aimlessly, getting a feel for traveling and deciding which way to go. He had decided to start with the Pewter City gym because it was one of the closest, and it was supposed to have some good training facilities, unlike Cerulean. He easily found the trail that would take him to Pewter, and fell into an easy pace with Sandshrew alongside.   
It must have been about lunchtime when he reached a crossroad and was jerked out of his silence by a loud shout. "Hey! are you a Pokemon trainer?" he turned in time to see a tall, skinny boy who was holding what looked like an oversized butterfly net. A bug catcher, then.   
"Yeah, I'm a trainer" A.J. replied, " Are ya ask'n for a battle?"   
"You bet," was the prompt reply, "Standard rules?"   
Standard rules implied all league regulations, and decided the payment of the winner. Standard fee was 100 for each Pokemon that was defeated by the victor. "Sure, 3 Pokemon sound good to you?" A.J. inquired.   
"Okay, let's get started. Go Weedle!"   
A.J. smiled to himself. No need to use Sandshrew on this twerp," Go Rattata!"   
Rattata jumped out, battle ready, as A.J. unhooked his whip from his belt and waited for the bug catcher to make the first move.   
"String shot, Weedle!" as Weedle shot out the strands of webbing, Rattata made a quick dodge and, at a crack of A.J.'s whip, leaped in on the unprotected back of the bug and sent it sprawling. Before it could right itself, Rattata delivered the knock out blow, a powerful Hyper Fang that finished the match.   
The boy growled as he returned Weedle, and called out "Go Beedrill!"   
Although he was sure Rattata could handle the Beedrill, A.J. called it back and brought out his own Beedrill, anticipating a challenge. This time, however, he attacked first, "Twineedle!" he yelled, cracking his whip to emphasize the order. Beedrill complied, zooming at the enemy with front stingers raised. The other Beedrill ducked, and for a moment both Pokemon spared in an equal match. Then A.J.'s Beedrill scored, knocking the other to the ground and zooming in for a final blow. It missed, though, when the other Beedrill rolled quickly to the side and gained the air again.   
The bug catcher wasted no time, "Fury Attack, Beedrill!" and the two joined again, this time with A.J.'s Beedrill the fallen one. As the enemy Beedrill came in, a bit too eagerly, A.J.'s Pokemon dodged, and the Beedrill lodged his main stinger in the earth. A.J. cracked his whip once more and his Beedrill delivered a solid blow before the other could dislodge itself from the ground. It swayed, and fell, despite its trainer's pleas to get up and fight. This time A.J. thought he saw desperation in the trainer's eyes and it was confirmed when he yelled out "C'mon Caterpie!"   
A.J. uttered a derisive laugh, "Is that all you can do, wimp?" he decided to cut this thing short before he wasted any more time and cracked his whip in a sharp order. Beedrill honed in, but the Caterpie whipped out of the way with a lithe twist of it's small body. A.J., shocked by even this small achievement from such a wimpy Pokemon, paused to see what the trainer would do next.   
"String shot, Caterpie!" its trainer called, with slightly more confidence then he had a minute ago. Caterpie complied, and Beedrill, almost sneeringly, dodged it. It wasn't prepared, then, for the second shot that Caterpie let out, which tangled him in its sticky threads.   
Now A.J. was getting angry. "Get yerself together Beedrill!" he yelled, cracking his whip closer to Beedrill than he had before,"Ain't no way that wimp is a match for you!" Beedrill struggled, but could not right itself before crashing into the ground.   
"Finish it with tackle, Caterpie!" yelled the bug catcher, and Caterpie scooted in to deliver a solid hit, but despite its speed and agility, the small Pokemon didn't have enough strength to do much damage. With a great heave, Beedrill managed to free its wings from the tangle of thread and took to the air, zooming out of Caterpie's reach. Shaking off the remaining strands, it waited for A.J.'s command, which was not long in coming.   
"Crack!" "Twineedle, now!" Beedrill honed in, stabbing several times at the retreating Caterpie before he managed to knock it out.   
The bug catcher's shoulder's slumped, and he muttered something about getting better Pokemon as he paid A.J. and beat a hasty retreat from the crossroad. A.J. almost grinned at the poor sportsmanship of the trainer, but didn't comment. He stopped long enough for a midday snack before moving on, determined to cover more ground before night fell.   
He traveled a good deal further without incident, but decided to stop in time to train a bit before turning in for the night. Rattata was the first out. "Good job, Rattata" he said, scratching it behind the ears and giving it a treat"You did me proud." Then it was Beedrill's turn.   
"What were you doin' out there? That was a Pokemon battle, not a playground. You can't let down your guard and fool around. And don't think you'll get off easy because we're travln' now, I'm gonna work ya just as hard!" Beedrill buzzed slightly, and A.J.'s eye's flashed with fury. "I don't care if we both underestimated that Caterpie, the point is, it was enough to put you off your guard! There's no place on my team for Pokemon who can't stay alert! We'll both do double drills tonight, and next time we face a bug catcher, remember that looks can be deceiving!"   
After a hard training session and seeing that his Pokemon were fed, A.J. ate his own meal and barely had time to appreciate the night sounds of the forest before he was fast asleep. The next morning was overcast and cool, with a promise of rain and Sandshrew decided to stay in his Pokeball. Despite being resistant to water, he still had a strong dislike of it.   
A.J. was walking through a section of path that was heavily wooded when he thought he heard far-off music. He paused, listening, and followed the sound off the path and into the woods. It wasn't long before he reached a small clearing with a large rock in the center of it. Seated on the rock was a girl with a wooden flute that was the source of the music he had heard. The music was nothing remarkable, a simple melody with a primitive sound. It was simply the incongruity of his situation that struck A.J. dumb for a moment. The girl, sensing that she was being watched, stopped playing and looked up. She flushed and quickly put the flute away. "Sorry," she said "I must seem pretty weird huh? Playing that thing like some hippie freak."   
"No, that's okay, I shouldn'ta snuck up on you like that" A.J. apologized, feeling his own face grow warm. Silence ensued for a minute and he asked the only thing he could think of. "So, um, are you a Pokemon trainer?"   
The girl gave a dry smile "I guess you could call me that, yeah. Why, are you a trainer too?"   
"Yep" and then, because it seemed the only thing to say, "Do you want a battle?"   
The girl looked around, "Here?"   
"Sure, why not?" asked A.J. wondering why they shouldn't battle in the clearing, "Standard rules?"   
"Okay" she jumped down from the rock and started digging in her pack as he brought out Sandshrew's Pokeball.   
"Go, Sandshrew!" he had brought his whip out by the time he realized that the girl had not brought out her own Pokemon. In fact, she was staring, open mouthed, at Sandshrew, who had jumped out, battle ready, and was now waiting patiently for orders from, A.J.   
"A real Pokemon!" the girl looked as though she had never seen a Pokemon before. "You have a real Pokemon!"   
"Yeah, being a Pokemon trainer I sometimes carry those around." he retorted dryly, but the girl didn't seem to notice his sarcasm. A real weird one, this girl.   
"But, but, you can't, th- there aren't" she stuttered without taking her eyes off Sandshrew, "I mean," and then her tone changed, "You have no idea how weird this is, do you?"   
"Oh, I think this is weird, don' worry about that. It's not every day you run into someone who's never seen a Pokemon before." A.J. wondered where exactly this girl was from. There weren't any insane asylums nearby that he knew of.   
The girl was now kneeling on the ground. She stretched a hand out to Sandshrew, who sniffed it with idle interest. "Careful," A.J. warned "He doesn' like-" Sandshrew was now smiling, as the girl scratched him behind the ears, cooing softly. "Strangers." A.J. finished, now totally freaked. Sandshrew, while never being savage, had always resented and mistrusted human strangers. Who was this girl?   
"You beautiful, amazing creature," she whispered to Sandshrew. Then looking up at A.J. she gave an almost hysterical laugh. "You can't know what this means. Do you know what I would have fought you with?" almost bitterly, she picked up a box that was lying nearby and tossed it to A.J. He opened it. Inside was a deck of cards. Taking them out he saw that some of them had pictures of Pokemon on them, while others were decorated with strange symbols and the word "Energy".   
"Cards!" the girl laughed, and her eyes held something akin to madness in them. "I would have fought you in a card tournament, or a GameBoy match." He had no idea what she was talking about, but he couldn't do anything but listen now. "And here you have real Pokemon, actual, flesh and blood creatures!"   
As she ranted, A.J. took a closer look at this strange apparition who had descended so suddenly upon him. She seemed about his age and short but not slender, having the compact build of a dancer or gymnast without seeming overly muscular. Her long, burnt gold hair was bound in a braid down her back and seemed to resent the confinement, straggling out wherever it could. She was wearing khaki shorts and a striped tank top in green and more khaki. But her most striking feature was her eyes. They glared out of her face with the intensity of a raptor and appeared to hold secrets in their depth . He couldn't pinpoint their exact color, they were light and seemed to have equal proportions of green, gray, and blue in them. Right now these eyes were full of either madness or maniac joy and A.J. wondered what he would do if she went totally hysterical. The usual treatment was a good slap, but having just met her, that didn't seem exactly polite. Luckily, it turned out he did not have to try such extreme measures, the girl had stopped ranting and was simply gazing at Sandshrew with an expression of rapture.   
"Um, could you tell me where you're from?" A.J. inquired carefully, thinking that if the girl was an escapee from a mental home, he should try to get her back there.   
She looked up at him, her gaze calculating. "You think I escaped from a loony bin, don't you? Not that I blame you, but I assure you, I'm perfectly sane." she laughed,"Crazy about Pokemon maybe, but otherwise okay."   
A.J. was now the one to deliver a calculating look. "You didn't answer the question."   
"Well, if I'm where I think I am then names won't tell you anything, so let's just say that I came from a place where Pokemon are an abstraction, a game, but definitely not real. I know a lot about Pokemon, all 150 odd of them, but I never expected, I mean," She broke off, looking down at Sandshrew, who was now lying contentedly at her side.   
Now it was A.J.'s turn to be surprised. "You mean that where you come from, Pokemon aren't real?! How does your world operate? How--"   
He broke off in midquestion as the girl laughed and explained,"We aren't totally without wildlife, don't worry. Our breed of creatures are much more varied than Pokemon, and most of them aren't trainable, so they don't have the same appeal that Pokemon do, even though they are wonderful." she beamed down at Sandshrew and went on,"'Animal trainers' just aren't the same as Pokemon trainers, though, and now I can fulfill an ambition that I figured could never become reality. Do you know of any place nearby where I could get a license?"   
"A what?"   
"A trainer's license, or permit, or whatever you call it, that allows me to capture and train Pokemon." She explained, frowning slightly,"I thought you had to have one to train."   
A.J. shrugged,"I don't have one, and I'm doing just fine." he said," Technically every trainer is supposed to have a license and I.D., but there's no way to enforce the rules."   
She looked shocked."Surely there's got to be some way to keep track of the trainers, require I.D. at Pokemon Centers, or something. Don't you have to have a license to compete in official matches, like gym matches and tournaments?"   
That brought A.J. to a full stop. He had not thought about needing a license to compete at gyms. "That's a good point. For someone who's new at this, you sure know a lot about Pokemon training."   
The girl gave a sly smile "You'd be surprised at how much I know."   
A.J. was disturbed by the kink this stranger had thrown in his plans. "Humph. I don't supposed they have names where you come from either, do they?"   
"Of course, sorry, I should have introduced myself sooner. Tera " she said, extending a hand, "And you are?"   
"A.J." he answered, taking the proffered hand.   
"That wouldn't be A.J., undefeated for 100 battles?" she asked with a grin.   
"How the devil...." He spluttered in shock, "Are you sure you've never been here before?"   
"Told you I'd surprise you." She answered with a smirk.   
A.J. found himself giving an answering grin as he remarked "So, you want to become a Pokemon Trainer. If you're dead set on getting a license, the closest place is probably Pallet Town, and Professor Oak."   
"What does getting a license actually involve that's got you so unwilling to have one? Tough training? Impossible test?" There was a hint of challenge in Tera's eyes that A.J. decided he didn't like in the slightest.   
"There's nothing hard about it," A.J. snapped with more defensiveness than he would have preferred "It just didn't seem necessary, that's all."   
"Ah, but you want to compete for badges, don't you? You'll probably need a license for that."she smirked a knowing smile, wry humor dancing in her eyes.   
"There's nothing hard about getting a license," A.J. said, choosing to ignore her last remark. "Just a few tests, that's all."   
"Hmm," Tera said musingly, more to herself than to A.J.,"Shouldn't take to long to get my stuff together, I could probably start out tomorrow, and then . . ." She trailed off, her eyes focusing on A.J. as she asked "Could I travel with you?"   
"What!" The question took A.J. by complete surprise, and he answered automatically, "Sorry kid, but I travel alone."   
"Watch who you're calling kid," She retorted,"And why can't I come with you? We're both going to the same place, and I could help you train."   
"Ha!" A.J. laughed,"You could help me train? You obviously haven't heard as much about me as you claim to--I don't need any help training. And besides, what makes you think I'm going to get a license?"   
"Don't be so sure of yourself." She said scornfully,"I don't care how many battles you've won, two people always train better than one, and, as I said before you're going to need a license because you want to earn badges." Belatedly, A.J. realized that she had a point. He would need a license, and if two trainers weren't necessarily better than one, it certainly wouldn't hinder his progress. Still, he was reluctant to admit that he was wrong. Who did this girl think she was, barging in on him like this?   
Tera had obviously realized that yelling at him would not be a good way to convince him to let her come along, so she calmed her tone somewhat. "C'mon, A.J., it couldn't hurt. I need someone to show me around. I have no idea how to get to Pallet, and I don't know how things work around here."   
Strangely, A.J. found himself not entirely averse to the idea, once it sunk in. Usually he had his Pokemon to keep him company; now that he was traveling, they had to stay inside their Pokeballs most of the time, and it was kind of boring without any one to talk to. Still . . . "You couldn't keep up with me." A.J. said hoping she would change her mind,"I set a hard pace, and I wouldn't slow down for you."   
She gave him a confident smile."I'm tougher than I look. Don't worry, you won't have to wait on me."   
"Well," he felt his resistance cave in,"Okay, but be warned, I'm not easy to train with."   
"I'll be fine." She gave him a brilliant smile,"Thanks. I'll be here at sunrise tomorrow, ready to go. Bye!"   
With that, she vanished through the trees, disappearing quickly in the heavy undergrowth. A.J. took a deep breath and leaned against a convenient tree. "Sandshrew, did that really just happen, or was I imagining things?" Sandshrew chittered exitedly, evidently delighted to know that Tera would be coming with them. "I don't know, though, maybe we should just leave now. I mean, she's obviously a crackpot. Do we really want to travel with someone like that?" Sandshrew gave a soft growl, giving his own endorsement of Tera's character and pointing out that it would be extremely dishonorable for A.J. to leave after he had told the girl he would wait.   
"Okay then, I guess we wait. But we're not just going to sit around here doing nothing." he brought out his other Pokemon. "C'mon guys! We've got some training to do!" 

Okay, there it is! It will get better, but that's the best I could do for now. Please, please, please review!! 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. The Fall

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or any of its characters they belong to Tsunekazu Ishiara and Satoshi Tajiri (Ahhh! How do I know that!?!)   
Thanks for the great reviews! Please continue to send feedback! 

A NEW JOURNEY 2: THE FALL 

Tera stepped into the clearing where A.J. was supposed to meet her. True to his word, he was still there, and since dawn had not quite broken, he was predictably fast asleep. She moved in closer until she was standing over him and half yelled, "C'mon A.J.! Rise and shine! Time to get moving!"   
Suddenly, something clamped down hard on her ankle and pulled it out from under her. With a startled cry, she fell backwards, catching a glimpse of A.J.'s face, wide awake and grinning broadly, before she crashed to the ground.   
A.J. burst out laughing, stood up, and looked down at her. "You've got to be on guard at all times if you're going to be a good trainer. And you have to get up before the sun."   
"Okay, that was not fair." Tera objected, "Funny, yes, but so not fair. You deliberately faked me out!" Still, it was hard to be indignant, she was too overjoyed at the prospect of starting her Pokemon journey to feel any negative emotion. "So, since you're obviously ready to go, when can we start out?"   
A.J. offered a hand to help her up, but she ignored it, rolled nimbly to her feet and stood waiting for his answer. "Well, first, I've got to feed my Pokemon and have my own breakfast. I assume you've already eaten?"   
When she nodded, he said "Good, then you can speed things up by feeding the Pokemon. Their food is in the small jars to the right of the fire. Each Pokemon has a different type of food, and the jars are labeled to show which food is for which Pokemon. The food is very concentrated, so each Pokemon only needs about one scoopful. Put the food into those bowls over there, mix it with a little water, and then we a can let everyone out."   
As he instructed her, A.J. rekindled the fire, dug something canned out of his pack, and began to heat it. Tera stood for a moment, slightly bewildered by the rush of instructions and A.J.'s quick action. A.J. was a big guy, tall and powerful, without the Shwartzenager look that would have classified him as "dumb jock". His dark green hair had a habit of falling in his eyes, which were a deep brown. They had a hard look to them as if it was him and his Pokemon against the world, so the world had better look out.   
Before he could criticize her on her inactivity, she had found the jars of Pokemon food and was setting out the amazingly small servings. "You weren't kidding when you said this stuff was concentrated, were you? There's got to be enough food here to feed all your Pokemon for a couple of months!"   
"What do you expect?" A.J. asked. "Most trainers carry about six Pokemon, and if the food isn't compact, that can be a lot of stuff to carry. It expands in water, so the Pokemon actually fill their stomachs with something."   
By now Tera was mixing the food with water, and the dry mixture was turning into an unappetizing grayish-brown hash. "Your Pokemon actually eat this? I thought you mixed your own Pokemon food; this looks factory produced."   
A.J. shot her a surprised look, but simply answered tersely "Yes, they do eat it, and yes, I do mix my own. There's a special technique to getting it so concentrated, I'll show you some time."   
"Okay, its ready. Do we let the Pokemon out now?" Tera was anxious to have them out, the only Pokemon she had really seen was Sandshrew, and she wanted to see more.   
"First of all, _we_ don't let them out." A.J. said pointedly, "You're not supposed to throw another trainer's Pokeball, unless its an emergency."   
"Oh" Tera felt equally embarrassed and chagrined, "Sorry, I had no idea."   
"I know, 's okay." A.J. waved her apology aside as he called out his Pokemon, and Tera forgot all embarrassment in her wonder. Three Rattata, a Beedrill, a Butterfree, and Sandshrew all leapt out of their Pokeballs and attacked the food voraciously. They were almost exactly as she expected them to be. Rattata's purple fur was short and exactly like that of a mouse, Beedrill and Butterfree had the perfectly jointed exoskeleton and delicate wings of insects, and Sandshrew's scaly armor was smooth and dry to the touch. They were all amazing. Tera had seen animals that were as interesting, but never so close, and never so friendly. When Sandshrew had finished his food, he came over to her, as if asking to be petted, and she willingly obliged.   
Soon the other Pokemon, curious about the newcomer and trusting the fact that Sandshrew seemed to be enjoying himself, came over until she was surrounded by a small army of curious faces and soft, whispery touches of wings. She introduced herself by offering a hand to sniff and softly stroking the velvety fur of the Rattatas. Tera felt that A.J. was watching her, gauging her reaction to the Pokemon, and gauging their reaction to her, but she didn't take her attention off of the Pokemon in front of her.   
"I hate to break in on this Kodak moment," A.J. finally said sarcastically, "But if you turn into a blob of quiverin' goo with big, starry eyes every time we meet a Pokemon, you won't be too successful as a trainer."   
Tera sobered as she gave A.J. a wry smile, "Hey, cut me some slack here, I've only been doing this for a day."   
"If you wanted slack, you should've waited for the next trainer to come along. I don't harbor slackers." A.J. smiled slightly to take the sting out of his words as he returned his Pokemon and picked up his pack. "Shall we get goin' ?"   
Tera returned his smile as she grabbed her own bag. "We shall."   
Still grinning, A.J. took off at a fast run, leaving Tera behind with her mouth hanging open. No way she would be able to match that pace--she hated running. Tera was healthy and fit, but her running endurance was about nil. _Still, A.J. obviously isn't a runner himself, he's shaped more like a body-builder. He got to be testing me. Well, I'll just have to show him that I'm up to the challenge. _She started out, determined to keep going for as long as A.J. could.   
Despite her determination, she was wheezing like a steam engine by the time A.J. stopped at the side of the road aways ahead of her. By the time she reached him, he had mostly regained his wind, though she knew he had been almost as out of breath as she was. She bent over, resisting the urge to collapse as she gasped for breath. A.J. eyed her with a superior air, "Don't get too comfortable, we'll be movin' on soon."   
"That," Tera gasped, still bent over, "Is a very inefficient way to travel. How do you expect to catch any Pokemon if you run straight past them?"   
"We'll have plenty of time to catch Pokemon if I have to stop every half-mile for you to catch up." There was an almost scoffing tone to A.J.'s voice that stung Tera's pride and brought her up to face him sharply.   
"You seem to have conveniently forgotten your policy of not slowing down for slackers, hmm?" Poking out a finger, she spitted him on a sharp glare. "I am ready and willing to accept and deal with my own shortcomings, but I will not make up for yours as well. I am not a runner, neither are you, neither are any of your Pokemon, so don't start with this 'I only stopped for you' crap."   
Instead of snapping back with his own retort, A.J. gave an almost grudging smirk. "Smart girl. I hope you're a better hiker than you are a runner."   
"Don't worry about that. "she smirked back. To illustrate her point, Tera again shouldered her bag and started off. "Come on!"   
They made good progress after that, stopping at noon for a snack. A.J. let out his Pokemon while they were stopped, and when they started off again, he left Beedril out to get some exercise. As they walked, with Beedril buzzing along in front of them, Tera asked, "Do you know how much farther we have till we reach Pallet?"   
"Not too long, I know of a shortcut that should get us there by tomorrow evening. I just hope the rain will hold off for that long." The clouds overhead still hung low in the sky, and Tera could taste the humidity in the air, but she had taken it for granted that rain was as scarce here as where she grew up.   
"What will we do if it rains? Dig in until it blows over?" Tera could just picture a wet, cold night spent huddled under a lean-to.   
A.J. shook his head, "There are plenty of cabins around these parts, most of them wouldn't mind putting a roof over a pair of wanderin' Pokemon trainers."   
"That's good to know." Then Tera gave A.J. a shrewd look. "For a stationary gym leader, you seem to know a lot about traveling. Where did you grow up?"   
For a minute, Tera thought A.J. wouldn't answer. But he finally replied in a voice that was just a little too casual. "My dad was a Pokemon watcher in a town north of Pewter, in the mountains. I basically wandered around by myself until I was old enough to start out for good. I found an old gym that had been deserted, fixed it up, and," he shrugged,"You seem to know the rest."   
Tera nodded knowingly. "Undefeated for a hundred wins. Was your father the reason you became a trainer?"   
A.J. frowned and said bitterly, "Dad was too busy watchin' Pokemon to look after his own son. I became a Pokemon trainer because I like Pokemon, not because of anything my dad taught me. Or more importantly, didn't teach me."   
Tera, realizing she had hit a nerve, backed down and tried to think of something else to say. Before she could speak again, A.J. turned to her and asked "So, you know my life story, how 'bout yours?"   
"Not much to tell, I'm afraid." She answered, "Both of my parents died when I was young. Fortunately they left enough money that my relatives were able to send me to a boarding school. I stayed there until I graduated, and I was basically wandering around, looking for work, when I ran into you."   
A.J. gave her a skeptical look. "Lookin' for work in the middle of the forest? You must have been pretty desperate."   
"Yeah, well," she answered evasively, "I was kinda hoping for a job as forest ranger."   
"Hmm. But that still doesn't tell me where you grew up, and how you know so much about Pokemon."   
Tera shrugged. "In relation to where I am now, I have no idea where I grew up. It was dry, hot, and, for me at least, depressing. I know about Pokemon because it is a major fad where I grew up. Video games, card games, board games, you name it, there's a Pokemon version. I always wanted to be a trainer, but of course, it was impossible." She gave a soft laugh, "Wish the kids back home could see me now."   
"If they react the same way you did, it would be extremely amusin'. Wonder what would happen if you showed up one day as an accomplished Pokemon trainer?"   
Tera shuddered, "I wouldn't want to think about it."   
"Why? What could be so bad about it?" A.J. looked puzzled.   
"Because there would be mass stampede of people to this world, and sooner or later someone would take advantage of it and we would all be one big entry on someone's bank account." Tera's voice was bitter enough to surprise her. "That is, if some fanatic terrorist hasn't blown all Pokemon and trainers to kingdom come or big game hunters haven't plagued all Pokemon to extinction."   
"You sound as if people from your world are all monsters. Surely it can't be that bad." A.J. sounded cajoling, as if trying to get her to lighten up.   
"Well, I guess it wouldn't be all that bad, but people would take advantage of it, and the sudden rush of people could majorly mess up the status quo in uncountably negative ways. No, its best that no one else find out about this place, wherever in the universe it is." Tera smiled, "But now that I'm here, I intend to make the best of it, and never look back."   
A.J. would have commented, but he was interrupted by Beedril. The winged Pokemon zoomed in and buzzed at him before trying to land on his shoulder. A.J. shook him off, exclaiming, "Oh, no you don't. I'm not your free ride. Get up there and keep flyin'!"   
Tera noticed that Beedril was no longer flying perfectly straight. It wobbled back and forth, and it's wingbeats were not as rhythmic as they had been when they started out. She could understand it being tired. It had been flying straight out for sometime now. Not quick dashes back and forth as it would during battle, and not top speed racing, but a sort of hover/slow pace that must be hard on it. Still she didn't say anything. A.J. knew what he was doing, anyhow.   
They walked on in silence for a while longer, listening to the normal, busy sounds of the forest. The clouds continued to gather, and the smell of rain increased. _Looks like we won't make it to Pallet before the rains break, _she thought.   
When the overhead branches started to lower the available flying space, Beedril homed in on A.J. again, once more asking for a ride. A.J. again refused, ordering the Pokemon to practice dodging the branches as it went along. Beedril tried, but it was too drained from its long flying before and started to bump into the branches as it went along. Finally, Tera broke in, "Why don't you let it rest awhile? Beedril's obviously too drained to gain much by smacking itself into every limb that comes along. If it rests now, it could dodge branches later, and a lot more successfully."   
A.J. gave her a sharp look. "I don't let my Pokemon slack any more than I do my travelin' partners. Beedril's got to work on his long-term endurance. Won't do any good if he collapses in the middle of a battle because he can't stay in the air long enough."   
"He's obviously exhausted. Driving him to the point of collapse won't do any good--and besides, it takes a whole different set of muscles to sit on something that's moving, Beedril won't be exactly taking it easily." Tera realized what A.J. was trying to do, but it was possible to take this too far.   
A.J. glared at her. "I don't need amateurs tellin' me how to raise my Pokemon!"   
"Well, if you don't take advice from anyone than I don't see how you lasted this long as a trainer!" Tera hadn't wanted to criticize A.J.'s training methods, but now she was fighting mad. "If _you_ won't let him rest for awhile, then I will." She held out her arm to the exhausted Pokemon, "Here, Beedril, you deserve a rest." She glared at A.J., daring him to order his Pokemon away from her.   
To her surprise, A.J. gave a sadistic smile and nodded when his Pokemon looked to him for permission. With obvious relief, Beedril landed on Tera's shoulder, and her eyes widened in shock and understanding. The four of Beedril's legs that were resting on her shoulder felt like needles, digging into her flesh. No wonder A.J. had been reluctant to give Beedril a ride, it was a stunningly painful experience! Seeing the expression on her face, A.J. burst out laughing, and Tera grinned sheepishly. "Serves me right for trying to take over your Pokemon's training, I guess."   
Beedril, sensing that he was hurting her, buzzed apologetically and prepared to fly off, but Tera stopped him. "Stay where you are, Beedril, I got myself into this and I'm not backing out now. Besides, you do need the rest." Her voice took on a teasing tone, despite the pain that raced up and down her arm, "Shame on you, A.J., what happened to a trainer's self-sacrifice for his Pokemon's benefit? I thought you were more dedicated than that."   
Obviously deciding not to take offense, A.J. answered, "I wasn't trying to preserve my skin, Beedril did need to keep workin'. You'll soon learn that nothing makes me madder faster than someone insultin' my training methods, so don't try it often."   
"Hey, I understand, but like I said before, if you don't listen to anybody, then your pride will eventually take a harder, rougher fall than simply accepting the fact that you were wrong."   
A.J. smiled mischievously, "Watch yourself, I still haven't admitted I was wrong yet."   
"Oh, you are the most impossible . . ." Tera's voice trailed off, looking for the correct insult and not finding it. Eventually she finished with, "I swear, you've got a bigger ego than a fighter pilot!"   
They walked on for awhile longer before Beedril took to the air again. He immediately flew high enough to start dodging branches, with a much higher success rate than before. Tera didn't expect A.J. to say anything, and he didn't, until much later when Beedril started to running into branches again. Glancing at her, he remarked, "I suppose I'll have to call him back before you start whinin' again?"   
Tera decided that the comment didn't deserve a reply, so she simply gave him a hard look that suggested he'd better.   
By that time it was getting dark, and the wind was picking up. A.J. voiced Tera's earlier thoughts when he said "Looks like its goin' to rain tonight. We should start looking for a friendly cabin."   
"What exactly does a friendly cabin look like?" Tera asked, half joking, "Does it have a big smiliey face painted on the side, or just a large sign saying 'Welcome All Pokemon Trainers'?"   
A.J. gave a good natured frown, "C'mon, get serious, unless you want to spend the night out side in the rain."   
They didn't have to walk much further before they came upon a small cabin. A.J. started towards it, but Tera hung back, wondering at A.J.'s boldness. How could he get up the nerve to just walk up to someone's home and ask to stay the night? But this was the only alternative to spending the night outside in the rain, so she reluctantly followed him up to the front door.   
A.J. knocked, and when the door opened, he said "Hello sir, we're Pokemon trainers on our way to Pallet and we were wonderin' if you had a couple of extra beds to spare."   
The man at the door was big, probably in his 60's with grizzled dark gray hair and a face that was obviously not used to smiling. He frowned now, "What do you think this is, a Pokemon Center? I don't give out free room and board."   
"We can pay, sir, we just wanted to get out of the coming storm." A.J. assured him.   
"Humph." The man looked at the sky behind them, and his face changed. "You're right, there is a storm coming. Well, I don't have extra beds, but if you don't mind the floor . . ." He saw the acquiescence on their faces and went on, "I won't take money, but since you're trainers, if one of you would battle me, then we'll call it a deal."   
A.J. smiled "Yes sir!"   
They went inside. The cabin was rustic and simple, opening into a main room which branched into what was probably a kitchen and bedroom. Their host, who identified himself as Smith, instructed them to lay out their bags in the main room, and he would fix dinner. A.J. offered to help, a meal had not been part of the bargain, but the old man waved his objections aside. "No one goes hungry in my house, and besides, its lonely all the way out here, I don't usually get visitors."   
It wasn't long before they sat down to eat. The fair was simple and wholesome, a thick stew that seemed to fit their rustic surroundings perfectly. During the meal, A.J. told Smith about their plans, how they were going to Pallet to get a license so they could compete in gyms and earn badges. Tera didn't say much, as friendly as Smith was, she had never felt at ease around strangers. At one point Smith turned to her and asked, "Meowth got your tongue, girl? I haven't heard you say two words since you came."   
Tera blushed at her rudeness, "Sorry, this is all very new to me. I just started on my Pokemon journey yesterday and I'm still adjusting." Their host nodded ,understanding, and continued to discuss Pokemon training with A.J.   
After dinner the rain still hadn't started, and Smith suggested that they battle before it did.   
"Sure!" A.J. agreed, "How many Pokemon?"   
"Four. Standard rules?"   
"You bet."   
They went outside. Behind the cabin was a large clearing, and A.J. and Smith posted themselves at opposite ends. A.J. got out his whip and called "Go Butterfree!"   
Smith tossed his Pokeball and yelled "Go Poliwrath!" Tera was impressed, Poliwraths were rare, as were any evolution-stone Pokemon, and this one had obviously been raised well, probably from a Poliwag.   
A.J. cracked his whip "Gust, Butterfree!" It was plainly a ranging move, Gust wouldn't hurt Poliwrath much unless it was a lot weaker that it looked, but it would show A.J. how powerful it was.   
Butterfree flapped its wings, creating a powerful blast that shook the trees, but Poliwrath barely rocked back on its heels.   
Then it was Poliwrath's turn to attack. "Water Gun, Poliwrath!" As the water squirted towards it, Butterfree dodged easily and came back on the offensive with the blinding flash of Confusion. Poliwrath blinked and swayed on it's feet for an instant, giving Butterfree time to react to A.J.'s snapping whip with a solid tackle.   
Unfortunately, the tackle seemed to clear Poliwrath's head and when Smith shouted "Hypnosis!" it closed its eyes and the swirl on its front started to whirl around.   
A.J., however was having none of it. "Stun Spore, Butterfree!" he called, with a crack of his whip. Butterfree flew over Poliwrath, releasing the paralyzing powder from its wings. As the powder reached it, Poliwrath trembled slightly and his swirl stopped its slow rotation.   
With a slight frown, Smith zapped his prone Pokemon back into its ball and tossed out another. "Go Graveler! Rock Throw!" Butterfree became a blur of movement, dodging the rocks that flew, thick and fast, from Graveler's four arms. As the attack tapered off, Butterfree slowed slightly and was knocked to the ground as one of the last rocks struck it full on. Graveler saw his opportunity and didn't wait for his trainer's command before rolling forward, intent on crushing Butterfree beneath its bulk. With a tremendous effort, Butterfree managed to take to the air just in time to avoid the living missile that was aimed at it.   
"Confusion, Butterfree!" A.J. yelled with a snap of his whip, barely giving his Pokemon time to recover from it's narrow escape. "Zap 'im intil he's too loopy to see straight!" Butterfree gave an obedient trill and flashed once, twice, three times, at Graveler, who had rolled into a tight ball in a vain effort to ward off the attack. When it uncurled, it's eyes were unfocused and it was unable to rise to its feet. As Smith brought his Pokemon back into it's ball, A.J. smirked and Tera knew what he was thinking. This guy might have impressive Pokemon, but A.J.'s tough training methods hadn't failed him yet.   
Smith had now produced another Pokeball, and he threw it, shouting "It's your turn Nidoqueen!" As the rare Pokemon materialized from red energy, Butterfree gained the altitude sufficient to stay out of the reach of the giant Pokemon.   
A.J. made the first move of this round, cracking his whip as he yelled, "Tackle, and make it fast!" Tera thought that this wasn't the best move A.J. could have made. Butterfree could probably avoid getting hurt as long as it used it's long-distance attacks, of which Nidoqueen had few. Bringing Butterfree in for a contact attack lost him this advantage. Sure enough, despite Butterfree's impressive speed, Nidoqueen met the oncoming Pokemon with a solid set of Fury Swipes, knocking it out of the air.   
Smith was quick to press his advantage, "Tail Whip!" Butterfree struggled, but was unable to rise, and Tera felt her heart constrict as the small Pokemon shook under the blow. A.J. frowned as he called it back, and Tera winced again at the thought of the dressing-down Butterfree would receive later.   
A.J. now brought out Rattata, and the diminutive Pokemon looked up at the towering Nidoqueen above it without a trace of fear. At a crack from A.J.'s whip, Rattata lept to the attack, biting Nidoqueen and racing out of range before the cumbersome Pokemon could react. Rattata, Tera knew, could run rings around Nidoqueen all day long, but with its lower attack power, it would take all day to knock the larger Pokemon out.   
Smith was apparently unaware of the advantage Rattata's quickness afforded it, for his next order was "Body Slam!" Nidoqueen gathered herself up and launched at Rattata in a powerful blow that would surely pulverize the mouse Pokemon--if it ever landed, and of course, it didn't. Rattata was almost at the other side of the clearing before Nidoqueen hit the ground with a resounding crash.   
While it was down, A.J. decided to press the advantage, "Hyper Fang, Rattata!" Rattata lept in and sunk its teeth into a vaunerable spot in Nidoqueen's hard scales. Nidoqueen let out a terrible roar as she began to thrash about, trying to dislodge the Pokemon that was stuck fast to her side. "Rattata, Get out of there!" A.J. yelled, knowing what would happen if Nidoqueen's thrashing turned in to an organized attack. Rattata released its hold and was almost safely out of range before Nidoqueen's tail caught it and sent it flying across the clearing. Rattata would have flown far if it hadn't been for all the trees in the vicinity. It hit one with a sickening thud and slumped to the ground, defeated.   
A.J.'s eyes went hard and cold as he returned Rattata, and Tera knew that he was starting to worry. This guy had amazing Pokemon, rare and well trained, and he had obviously been training much longer than A.J. had. Tera expected Sandshrew as A.J.'s next Pokemon, but he called out "Beedril!" instead.   
The wasp-like Pokemon materialized and hovered over Nidoqueen, waiting for orders, but this time Smith made the first move. "Poison Sting, Nidoqueen!" lowering it's horn, the mammoth Pokemon leaped at Beedril, somehow getting high enough to strike at it. Beedril dodged to the side, scornful of the slower ground Pokemon.   
'Crack!' A.J.'s whip snapped as he ordered "Show this wimp what a real Poison Sting looks like!" _Some wimp_, Tera thought, _its already knocked out two of your Pokemon_. Beedril zoomed in, striking at Nidoqueen but not doing much damage because of her tough scales. A.J. frowned, realizing that Beedril's poison attacks wouldn't do much good against Nidoqueen's tough hide.   
Now Smith went on the offensive. Realizing that Nidoqueen couldn't reach the hovering Beedril, he called out, "Growl!" Nidoqueen let out a terrific roar that left Tera's ears ringing, but the full impact had not struck her. Beedril dropped a few feet in the air before regaining the use of his wings and when A.J. shouted at him, there was no response.   
Furious, A.J. cracked his whip almost in Beedril's face to get its attention. When it turned towards him, he yelled "Twineedle! Go for the eyes!" Tera was shocked--this was fighting dirty! Striking at Nidoqueen's eyes might be the only way that Beedril could hurt the armored Pokemon, but it could easily blind her, leaving her permanently crippled.   
Beedril zoomed in, aiming precisely, but Smith knew what A.J. was planning and ordered "Tail Whip! Don't let it near your face!" Beedril dodged under the sweeping tail and kept on coming, but Nidoqueen delivered a solid punch that knocked it out of the air. Beedril thudded to the ground, tried to rise, and lost the struggle when Nidoqueen finished it off with a pair of Fury Swipes.   
Eyes flashing angrily, A.J. zapped Beedril back into a Pokeball and pulled out his last Pokemon. "Go Sandshrew! Dig!" Sandshrew burrowed under the ground almost, it seemed, before totally materializing. Nidoqueen was obviously experienced at dealing with Ground-type Pokemon, because it didn't look wildly around for its missing opponent, but waited calmly for Sandshrew to appear. When Sandshrew did appear, it sprung out of the ground as easily as a dolphin through water and curled into a tight ball to hit Nidoqueen solidly in the head. Uncurling, Sandshrew landed on all fours behind Nidoqueen, ready to attack again.   
Smith wasn't going to give A.J. that chance. "Poison Sting!" he yelled, and Nidoqueen turned on Sandshrew, her horn gleaming as it struck at the smaller Pokemon. Sandshrew made a quick dodge to the side and barely escaped the thrust.   
A.J. snapped his whip, "Sand Attack, Sandshrew!" Quickly, Sandshrew turned to the ground and sand started to whirl towards Nidoqueen's face. Blinded by the sand gritting in her eyes, Nidoqueen roared her frustration and struck out blindly, again and again. Sandshrew was safely out of range of Nidoqueen's blind thrashing, and A.J. called out "Swift! And keep your eyes open!" With a short nod, Sandshrew began to zoom back and forth, getting closer and closer to Nidoqueen with each pass. Finally, it got near enough to strike, the build up of speed making the blow even more powerful. Nidoqueen was an extremely strong Pokemon, and under ordinary circumstances the blow would hardly have fazed her, but the long battle had worn her down and she collapsed to the ground with a crash.   
A.J. smiled tightly as Sandshrew came to stand in front of him, ready for the next attack. It wasn't long in coming. "Go Rydon!" The giant Pokemon, with its powerful horn, appeared and waited for it's trainer's order. "Stomp!" Smith yelled. Rydon jumped and hit the ground close to where Sandshrew was. The attack didn't hit Sandshrew, but it shook the ground enough to shake Sandshrew where he stood, and he barely had enough time to scramble out of the way of the next blow.   
A.J.'s whip cracked, and his voice was sharp and hard as he yelled "Slash!" Sandshrew performed a skillful flip, and struck at Rydon before the more cumbersome Pokemon had time to react.   
With a shake of its head, Rydon brushed off the attack and as Smith yelled "Horn Drill!" it rushed at Sandshrew with shocking speed. Sandshrew dodged, but Rydon followed every move the agile Pokemon made and, if anything, increased its headlong rush. In a last attempt to avoid the crushing blow, Sandshrew started to tunnel under the ground, but Rydon reached it before it disappeared to safety. With a flip of its head, Rydon sent Sandshrew flying, and when Sandshrew tried to right itself and land on its feet, Rydon was under him and sent him on another trip skyward. This time Sandshrew didn't try to right itself, falling limply to the ground with a dull thud.   
A.J.'s look of anger was immediately replaced by stricken worry. "C'mon, Sandshrew! Get up!" It was less a plea to fight and more an appeal for reassurance. Sandshrew stirred feebly, started to rise, and slumped to the ground, vanquished.   
Numbly, Tera ran the last few minutes through her mind, trying to confirm what her eyes said and her mind refused to accept. A.J., undefeated champion of a hundred battles, had _lost_.   


Whew! That was way too long. I'm sorry if the lengthy battle scene bored some of you, but it was necessary. The end was gloomy, I know but the next part will be more cheerful. Before any of you technical sticklers start yelling at me, allow me to explain. I know Butterfree does not learn Gust and Poliwrath doesn't learn Tackle, but if you think about it, any Pokemon with wings should be able to do Gust, and any Pokemon that moves should be able to use Tackle, albeit with varying degrees of success. The limits placed on Pokemon in the game are good for a game, but impractical in something like this. Thanks for reading! Bye!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


  
  


  
  


  
  



	3. The Decision

Okay, I've finally got the third part out! Sorry it took so long, but me and my friends discovered a little show called Gundam Wing, and I sorta got sidetracked (Brownie points to whoever can spot the influence!) You guys know the drill; none of this belongs to me, except Tera, I made her up, but the rest belongs to whoever is getting filfthy, stinking rich off of Pokemon! 

A NEW JOURNEY 3: THE DECISION 

Sandshrew stirred feebly, started to rise, and slumped to the ground, defeated. A.J. stared, trying to make sense of what had just happened, running it through his brain. He had lost! After a hundred and one wins, he had lost a battle. He was a failure. A.J. felt like a vise was crushing his chest. _How could I lose?_   
His hand automatically raised Sandshrew's Pokeball and called back his defeated Pokemon, but A.J. barely knew what he was doing. _I lost. I am a failure. I lost_. Numbly, he turned and faced Smith, the man who had bested him, the man who had ground him into the dirt.   
"Good battle." Smith said, not gloating, not preening, but the words still cut into A.J. like a knife. _That was a despicable battle!_   
"I'm impressed," Smith went on, "Your Pokemon are amazingly well trained and obedient." _Not trained enough, they failed me! They let me down._   
A.J. realized that Smith was waiting to be paid, but was too polite to ask for the money outright. Feeling as though he was miles away and watching this parody of his life, A.J. dug out the payment and gave it to Smith, who nodded and went into the house. Still A.J. stood, almost in shock, as the rain started to fall, complementing his depressed mood.   
Tera moved towards him, and A.J. suddenly remembered that he was not alone in the clearing. Afraid of the pity that he would surely see in her eyes, he avoided looking at her as she suggested softly, "Let's go in."   
"You go in," A.J. said, just wanting to be alone, "I'm gonna stay out here."   
"And do what? Get soaking wet just cause you want to mope? In case you haven't noticed, it's raining." Her voice was sensible and devoid of emotion; a welcome anchor in the midst of the tumult. As if in answer to her statement, the rain increased, pounding out a sudden staccato on the beaten earth.   
_What does it matter? _A.J. gave a small shrug and moved towards the house, feeling as if he were walking through a dense, cold fog that clung to him, impending movement. Once inside, Tera asked, "Are your Pokemon going to be okay?"   
Her voice pierced the haze and A.J.'s mind focused with a painful accuracy. His Pokemon! "I've gotta get them to a center!" he blurted, grabbing his pack and heading back out the door. He was half way across the room by the time Tera reached him.   
"A.J.! Snap out of it!" she grabbed his shoulders and gave him a shake. "We're a day's journey from the nearest center! Don't tell me a trainer like you doesn't carry Pokemon first aid stuff?"   
A.J.'s mind reeled. Medicines and remedies flew through his mind, none of them remaining long enough to make an impression. Tera answered herself with more of her selective Pokemon knowledge. "Antidotes, Awakening, and the different Heals won't help, your Pokemon don't have any status problems. But Potions will help, do you have any?"   
"Uh, yeah," A.J. managed, "A few." He dug through his pack, pulled out the Potions, and handed them to Tera while he released his battered Pokemon. They slumped on the floor, and the sight of them caused A.J.'s throat to constrict. Sandshrew had several deep slashes and was breathing raggedly, Beedril's wings were crushed and shredded, Ratatta was totally unconcious, and Butterfree was crisscrossed with nasty looking scratches.   
A.J. called Rattata back into its Pokeball; there was nothing he could do for it until they reached a center, and turned his attention to his other Pokemon. Tera, her strange eyes full of mingled pain and sympathy, handed him one of the Potions without taking her eyes off of the pitiful creatures in front of her. "Will they be okay?"   
"Yeah." A.J. answered in a deadpan voice as he administered the first Potion to Sandshrew. Tera was apparently a fast learner, or else she knew how to care for Pokemon, because she began to attend the others with gentle, steady hands. Soon Sandshrew, Butterfree and Beedrill were healed enough to go back into their Pokeballs and, silently, Tera handed him the Pokeballs of the two Rattata that hadn't been used in the battle. Taking her cue, he realeased them while Tera prepared their food and set it out.   
After the Rattata had eaten and been returned to their Pokeballs, Tera slipped into her sleeping bag without a word, respecting his sorrow. The only sounds were the beating of the incessant rain on the roof and the gentle rumbling of thunder.   
Still A.J. sat, staring at his Pokeballs, knowing he would be unable to sleep. Ever since he started out on his own, he had focused on being the best, never letting down his guard, determined not to be the faliure his father had been. He had succeded, a hundred and one battles without a defeat, but now: loss, failure, defeat. A.J. felt detached, cut adrift, and he had no idea what he would do next. He could go on, but now he would be no better than any other trainer. He would not be any different from any of the other hundreds of thousands of kids that started out to be "the greatest Pokemon master in the world". Before his defeat, he had belived that his perfect record gave him the key he needed to achive that status, but now . . . .   
He glanced at Tera. She seemed capable enough, would make a good trainer, and he had promised to see her to Pallet. That gave him an objective for the immediate future, and maybe he could find work in Pallet if he decided not to train anymore.   
_Not train anymore! _That thought hit him hard. He had been around Pokemon his entire life, he loved Pokemon, how could he give them up?! _But if there's no other option . . ._   
A.J. flopped down on his sleeping bag, just hoping for the oblivion of sleep, but he knew it would be a long time in coming. 

The next morning dawned clear; the storm had passed and the entire world was washed clean. A.J. looked out at the sunrise and felt as though the world was mocking him with its cheerfulness. Smith was obviously in a generous mood from the battle the night before, because he fixed them breakfast and offered advice on the quickest route to Pallet. Tera seemed to have put aside her unease and was being perfectly polite to their host, which was fortunate because A.J., still in his fog, didn't grasp more than a few words of what was said, not that he was trying very hard.   
As they prepared to leave, Smith fixed him with a penetrating stare and asked, "That your first loss, boy?" When A.J. nodded wordlessly, he went on. "Impressive. You've obviously been training a long while, you'll make a great trainer someday."   
When A.J. failed to respond, Smith shrugged and turned to Tera, who gave him a friendly handshake and thanked him for his help.   
They headed out at a fast pace, not talking, focused on getting to Pallet and its Pokemon center as soon as possible. Tera kept up with him, A.J. noticed, her tough talk of the day before had clearly been more than just talk. They didn't stop for lunch, but ate a snack on the road without halting. It wasn't till the sun was beginning to set and Pallet town could be seen on the horizon that Tera broke the silence.   
"So, we'll stay at the Pokemon center tonight and get our licences as soon as your Pokemon are healed?" She asked.   
"_You_ can get your licence whenever you want." A.J. said flatly. "I probably won't be gettin' one."   
Tera gave him an incredulous look, as if she couldn't believe what her ears were telling her. "What about earning badges?"   
"What about it?" A.J. retorted, "I've decided not to collect badges, that's all."   
"How do you expect to become a respected trainer if you don't earn badges?" Tera sounded suspicious at his sudden change of goals, and was probably wondering if he was as mentally unbalanced as he had accused her of being.   
"I'm not so sure I want to train anymore." This declaration caused Tera to make an abrupt about-face as her eyes flared in surprise and outrage.   
"Don't want to train anymore!! What the hell are you talking about!! How could you possibly even think of giving up training, you've got to be the best trainer in . . ." A lack of local geographic knowledge caused her to trail off with out finding the name of a suitable area, and she glared at him in speechless fury.   
A.J. replied with the stoic calm of a man who has decided to face the firing squad and get it over with. "Tera, do you have any idea how many kids start out to become 'the world's greatest Pokemon master'?" Without waiting for an answer, he went on, "Hundreds of thousands. How can I expect to make any impression in the world of Pokemon trainin' if I'm no better than anyone else?"   
"No better than anyone else!" Tera repeated, sounding half-stunned. "Who exactly fits into your opinion of 'everyone else'? The leading trainers in the entire Pokemon world? Or just the top ten? A.J., don't be a bloody fool." Her face hard and her voice was sharp as she corrected herself. "To late for that I guess, A.J., _stop being a bloody fool!!!_"   
A.J. was trying to hold on to his decision, but her next accusation hit below the belt. "What about your Pokemon? I guess you'll just abandon them? It's a good thing Sandshrew is incapacitated now, or else he would give you what for. You know, A.J., I never took you for a quitter." This last was spoken with not just sharpness, but a contempt that stung his pride into retaliation.   
"I'm not quittin''', I'm just, just . . ." A.J. realized that he was proposing to do exactly what she had said, quitting.   
"Just giving up." Tera said, obviously pleased to get the upper hand. "And besides A.J., what do you care about best? You're a trainer because you love Pokemon, not because you have to prove yourself to be the biggest, baddest fighter around. In fact, if you told me that you _are_ in this simply for the fame and glory of being the greatest, I would take your Pokemon, find them a better master, and let you wallow in self pity for as long as you wanted."   
"You could try to take my Pokemon," A.J. growled as he laid a protective hand on the line of Pokeballs at his belt, "But you wouldn' get very far."   
To his surprise, Tera smiled. "See, you couldn't surrender your Pokemon if your life depended on it. And you're actually contemplating quitting? A.J., don't be hasty. Tonight we'll get your Pokemon treated and tomorrow we'll go see Professor Oak. If you won't listen to me, at least listen to him."   
A.J. didn't see how he had much choice, so they started off for Pallet once more.   
Very soon they reached the Pokemon Center. Nurse Joy assured A.J. that his Pokemon would be fine in the morning, and after taking them off for treatment, returned to show A.J. and Tera the simple accommodations that Pokemon Centers provided for wandering trainers. They ate a quick supper and turned in early, in preparation for the next day.   
The next morning, A.J. was roused when a heavy weight descended on his chest. Opening his eyes, he saw Sandshrew, fully recovered and extremely agitated about something. "Whoa, Sandshrew," he groaned, still groggy from sleep. "What's wrong?"   
He shouldn't have asked. Sandshrew rattled off a shrill grievance, lasting about five minutes, that started with A.J.'s stupidity, his wishy-washy disposition, and his attitude of defeat; then moved on to his lack of concern for his Pokemon, Sandshrew's indignation that A.J. would put his own vanity before the well being and feelings of his Pokemon, and the fact that if A.J. abandoned him, it would take forever to train another master. The irate Pokemon finished with an all-around blistering commentary of A.J.'s appearance, composition, probable parentage, and personal habits.   
In the silence after this tirade, a low laugh reached his ears. Turning, he saw Tera, standing by the door with a smug grin on her face. "Been educatin' my Pokemon?" he asked.   
Tera shrugged. "I told you they'd be furious." Her smile grew larger. "And that was just Sandshrew's response. I'm sure the others would want to get their two cents in, as well."   
A.J. groaned. "I'll bet they would. But-"   
"But nothing." Tera broke in, "You've got to get over this guilt trip, A.J."   
"I was goin' to say," A.J. retorted, "That if we let all of my Pokemon chew me out, it'll take all day to get to Professor Oak's."   
Tera's stern expression was replaced by a brilliant smile. "So you're going to get a license?"   
Her expression fell somewhat when he replied, "I don't know. Sandshrew's right, I can't just leave my Pokemon on their own, but I still don't think I have what it takes to keep going."   
Tera rolled her eyes. "Sandshrew, you forgot to mention his mule-headed stubbornness and inability to look at his own achievements objectively." She headed out the door, saying, "Get ready. I'll meet you in the dining hall, and we can get going."   
By the time he had collected his other Pokemon and joined her in the dining hall, Tera had breakfast ready for both of them and had started eating. She gestured to his plate with her fork, swallowed a mouthful, and said, "You said getting a license involved a few tests; how much do you need to know?"   
"Just the basics: different heals, how to use a Pokeball, elemental types, evolution, battle etiquette." A.J. made sure his Pokemon had food before starting on his own meal. Travel rations were all well and good, but after too long the Pokemon got sick of them.   
"Battle etiquette?"   
"Rules and regulations, payment, mainly common sense stuff."   
Tera chewed this information, and her breakfast, a while longer before remarking, "Well, I guess I'll just wing it and hope the stuff I know really well makes up for the stuff I'm not to sure about. What about you? Are you ready for the tests?"   
"Confident, aren' you?" A.J. ignored her last question and went on. "If you pass the tests, Professor Oak should give you a choice for your first Pokemon; Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle. Do you know which one you want?"   
Tera nodded. "Bulbasaur. I've always liked grass types."   
A.J. gave her a disapproving look. "Made up your mind pretty quickly there, didn't you? Are you sure?"   
Tera returned his look proudly. "I put a lot of thought into that decision. What makes you think I didn't know which Pokemon Professor Oak offers?"   
"Ah." More selective information. It would be interesting to see how she did on the tests. A.J. knew that he would be ready for the tests, if he decided to take them. And would he? His reasoning in that area was losing ground, and quickly. If he didn't train, his Pokemon would have three choices: abandonment (_never!_); find a new trainer (_Tera?_); or stay with him and forgo the life of a fighting Pokemon, living as a simple pet, an option that his Pokemon would abhor. All of his Pokemon were full-blooded fighters, not bred but raised, and they loved the challenge of testing their wits, speed, and endurance against all rivals. A.J. also felt the thrill of fighting, a fierce pounding in his blood that sang at the prospect of a battle. He trained hard, and had tasted the sweet nectar of victory time and time again.   
But now he had also tasted defeat, and it was bitter. He had watched his Pokemon fall, and felt his heart tear at their pain. His own fallibility had been rubbed in his face, made worse by the fact that he had gone so long without knowing it. If he quit, he would never have to face defeat again, his Pokemon would be safe; but he would also never again win another battle, never feel the joy of fighting or the thrill of victory. _So what would he do?_   
"Tera, why do you want to be a Pokemon trainer?" A.J. asked, hoping to take his mind off his own problems.   
Tera smiled, as if the answer should be obvious, and said simply, "I love Pokemon."   
She obviously expected this to be self-explanatory, but A.J. persisted. "Why _trainer,_ though? You could be a Pokemon researcher, scientist, breeder, or watcher and still live around Pokemon."   
Tera's eyes took on a faraway look. "I want to travel; see new places and new Pokemon, so I don't really want to be a scientist or breeder. Not now anyway. Specifically, I want to be a trainer because I, well, I like to fight." She shook her head as if to stop him from interrupting and went on. "That makes me sound like some bloodthirsty maniac, I know, but it's not like that. I love the challenge of battle, the glory of winning something you've worked so hard for. I don't like killing, blood, or beating people; I just like to push myself to the limit." Her eyes turned to him with a questioning look, "Do you know what I mean?"   
A.J. nodded. "The bloodlust tempered by compassion. You want to be a fighter, but you don't want to hurt people."   
Tera frowned slightly. "And as a trainer, I'll just be hurting Pokemon, which isn't much better."   
_Oh great, now Tera's not sure she wants to be a trainer. Way to go!_ "That's not quite how it works," A.J. assured her, "Most Pokemon enjoy a fight as much as you do, and are ready and willin' to accept the consequences of failin'. As long as you don't force a Pokemon to fight, you're not really the one hurting them." Tera seemed to dwell on this point of view for a few moments, and A.J. thought about how Tera's reasons for being a trainer mirrored his own. He to loved Pokemon and enjoyed the thrill of battle. And of course, he was determined to be the greatest Pokemon master in the world--which, he realized was the only reason that he didn't have in common with Tera and the only reason that was challenged by his recent failure .   
"Don't you want to be the greatest Pokemon master?" A.J. asked, wondering, since that was the common goal of almost every trainer, whether they were successful or not.   
Tera gave him a look as if to say, _I wondered when you were going to ask that_, and replied, "Actually, I don't. There might be something I'm missing here, but to me its not about being the best in the business, its about working with Pokemon like I've always dreamed of doing, being the best trainer that _I_ can be, whether or not the entire world recognizes that." She broke off suddenly with a sheepish grin, "Sorry, I sound like one of those sappy motivational posters: 'Be the best you can be!', and all that. But also, I know that I would never make it that far. There are simply too many other trainers that are better than I'll ever be." Her grin widened into a smile, "Like you, for example."   
"Hmmmhp." A.J. replied. "So you start out expectin' to fail. That's being defeated before you begin. You aren't afraid of losin'?" Before giving her a chance to reply, he went on, "Don't answer that as a friend tryin' to get me to keep trainin'. Answer that truthfully, as a trainer who is a complete stranger."   
"Okay, as a trainer who is a complete stranger, I'll say no, I'm not afraid to lose." Tera scratched Rattata behind the ears as she went on. "Anything that doesn't kill you will ultimately make you stronger, and I am not stupid or arrogant enough to think I can make it to the top--to make it _anywhere_--without falling several times first."   
A.J. gave her a skeptical look, "How come this advice from a complete stranger tells me to keep trainin'?"   
Tera gave an impish grin. "You can take that two ways. a) I am unable to step out of the roll of concerned friend, or b) Even a complete stranger can tell you that you need to keep training. The second choice is correct."   
"Sure." A.J. answered. "So, are we goin' to sit around all day and discuss trainer philosophy, or are we every goin' to head out to Professor Oak's?"   
Tera shrugged, "I'm ready when you are."   
They left the Pokemon center and had not gone far when the air was split by the crack of a whip. Tera looked around, alarmed, "What's that?"   
"Nothin'" A.J. answered, "Some trainer workin' with his Pokemon, probably." he reached down and fingered the lash that was attached to his own waist, "Its a pretty effective strategy. Your Pokemon learn to respond to the whip, so they aren't frightened, but your opponent is intimidated."   
The crack was repeated, closer this time, and it was followed by a cry of pain. A.J.'s face tightened, "Some trainers haven't the good sense to use it correctly, though." The whip barked again, and again the creature being disciplined cried out.   
By now they were close enough to hear words. a rough, angry voice was yelling, "Get on your feet, you mangy bag of bones!" Another crack of the whip, and as A.J. and Tera rounded a bend in the road, they could see what was going on.   
A short, heavily built man was standing over a Ponyta, whip in hand and face flushed an unnatural red by anger. The Ponyta was attached to a large cart, and had obviously collapsed from exhaustion, its fiery mane and tail diminished to smouldering embers.   
"Hey!" A.J. yelled, "Leave it alone!!" He ran forward, furious at the sight of a Pokemon being abused.   
The man looked up and sneered in contempt. "Mind your own business, kid!" He brought the lash down on the Ponyta again, but A.J. jumped in front of the pitiful Pokemon and the whip struck him instead.   
A.J. matched the man's enraged glare with a look of cool anger, and said nothing. After a minute's pause, the man pulled his whip back once more. "Well, if you want to interfere . . ."   
A.J. waited for the blow, but it did not come. Looking past the man, he could see that Tera had grabbed the trailing end of the whip and proceeded to yank it out of it's owner's hand. "The gentleman asked you to stop," she said quietly, her eyes flashing in contained rage, "I suggest you do as he asked."   
"Ooohhh, well aren't we the tough little chick?" The man's face was red with more than anger, A.J. guessed that the man was slightly drunk. "It's my Pokemon, I'll treat it how I like, and no one's gonna stop me, especially a little snot-nosed brat like you."   
Tera's eyes narrowed, and she twisted the whip until she was holding the handle. Before she could do anything rash, A.J. stepped forward. "You'll kill it, idiot. What kind of trainer are you?"   
The man's sneer deepened. "a better trainer than you'll ever be, little bug catcher!"   
"Who are you calling a little bug catcher!?" A.J.'s pride flared, and he reached for the Pokeballs at his belt. "I'll show you bug catcher! a match, two on two." He jerked his head towards the cart. "Winner gets the Ponyta."   
"Winner gets Ponyta, eh? That's my Pokemon, what makes you think it's up for grabs?" Despite his objection, the man had brought out two Pokeballs, and seemed ready for battle.   
A.J. gave a tight smile and gestured to Tera, who had stepped back, but was still holding the whip and had a dangerous light in her eyes. "I seriously doubt that my friend here is willin' to let you walk away after what you did to your Pokemon. Isn' that right, Tera?" He hoped that she had cooled down enough to take his cue, so when she gave a slow, almost evil smile and nodded in anticipation, A.J. didn't know whether to be relived at her quick uptake and good acting skills, or worried that she wasn't acting.   
The man was obviously thinking along the same lines. He looked at Tera, seemed to lose some of his bluster, and tossed out his first Pokeball without further complaint. "Come out, Nidoran!"   
A Nidoran male materialized, and A.J. brought out his own Pokeball. "Go Butterfree!" He hesitated, and decided not to use his whip, his Pokemon could manage without it.   
Still angry, A.J. didn't wait for his opponent to make the first move. "Confusion!" Butterfree flashed, and Nidoran swayed, but managed to stay on his feet.   
He wasn't fully ready to attack, however, so when his trainer ordered, "Horn Attack!" Nidoran totally missed the hovering Butterfree. A.J.'s Pokemon instantly pressed the advantage, finishing off the smaller Pokemon with a swift Tackle.   
The man gaped in momentary astonishment at the ease with which A.J. had dispatched his Pokemon, but gathered his wits quickly, calling out, "Go Spearow!" He gave A.J. a confident look, "You won't defeat this Pokemon so easily, kid. Get ready for an aerial battle!"   
A.J. snorted derisively. "I don't think this will classify as a battle, wimp. More like a massacre!"   
The man's eyes narrowed. "Fury Attack, Spearow!" The winged Pokemon complied, flying at Butterfree in what was almost a blind rush. Butterfree dodged with ease, and swooped in to Gust Spearow from behind. Spearow flew head over heels, barely managing to stay in the air, and eventually turning to face its opponent in time to respond to its trainer's command of "Leer!"   
Spearow's eyes flashed, but Butterfree easily shook off the attack, and when A.J. shouted "Stun Spore!", it flew high and began to spray Spearow with a fine dust. The feathered Pokemon tried to counterattack with Gust, but its small wings were not able to produce a wind fast enough. It crashed to the ground, paralyzed.   
A.J.'s opponent called back his disabled Pokemon with a deep scowl on his face. "You call your attacks too soon." A.J. criticized, "Your Pokemon have to be ready before they attack, not just recoverin' after the last hit. It probably doesn' help that you beat your Pokemon, either. Speaking of which, " he pulled out an empty Pokeball and pointed it at the Ponyta, who seemed oblivious to what was happening around it, its beautiful eyes closed. "This poor creature won't have to put up with your stupidity any longer; I'll be taking my prize."   
"Like hell you will!" The man shouted, pulling out two more Pokeballs. "Ekans, Radicate! Attack!" he never got a chance to throw them, though. There was a sudden crack as a whip snapped a few millimeters from his fingers and he dropped his Pokeballs with a yell.   
"Now, now, " Tera said, holding the whip ready and speaking as though to a disobedient child. "Two Pokemon only, and you lost the battle. Don't be a sore loser." Her voice suddenly hardened and her eyes speared the man on dagger points. "I suggest you leave. Now."   
He tried to meet her glare, but after a moment he stooped to pick up his fallen Pokeballs and beat a hasty retreat.   
A.J. knelt beside his new Pokemon and zapped it into the Pokeball. "We should take it to Professor Oak's." he said as he stood. "I'm sure he'll be able to help it." He turned to see Tera staring at the whip in her hand, as if stunned by her own behavior. "Would you have really hurt that guy?" he asked, remembering the wild look in her eyes.   
Tera shook her head. "I hope not. I would've had as much a chance of hitting you if I had tried. I've never used a whip before, but I was so angry that I might have attempted it." She gave a short, bitter laugh. "Heck, I did attempt it. I'm surprised I made that shot without hurting myself."   
A.J. whistled. "Never used a whip, eh? You must be a natural. Want to learn more?"   
Tera tossed the whip into the bushes. "No. I would never be able to use one of those things anywhere near my Pokemon." She shook her head again, this time as if to clear it, and wiped the stunned look from her face. "Let's get that Ponyta to Professor Oak's, okay?"   
A.J. fingered the Pokeball as they started off. He'd done it all right, getting a new Pokemon just as he was contemplating quitting. But--he wasn't contemplating quitting, he realized suddenly, he had made his decision when he defended Ponyta and fought its tyrannical trainer. He had been acting like a spoiled kid; _Mommy the bad man beat me, I don't want to play anymore!_ That was no reason to stop training, he would just have to pick himself up and keep going. He smiled slightly to himself as he remembered Tera's words, _Anything that doesn't kill you will make you stronger_. It hadn't killed him, and now he was a stronger trainer for his defeat.   
They reached Professor Oak's lab quickly, and when the absentminded Pokemon expert answered the door, A.J. explained that they would like to apply for a license, but they also had a hurt Pokemon and could he please help them? Professor Oak hustled them inside and quickly took care of Ponyta, healing it and leaving it with one of his assistants. Then he turned back to them.   
"What else was there? Licences for both of you, was that it?"   
Out of the corner of his eye, A.J. could see Tera tense, ready to fly off with another argument if he suggested that she would be the only one getting a license. Well, she might have won the war, he would keep training, but he would take this small victory for himself. "Yeah," he said, watching Tera's stern expression change to joyful amazement. "For both of us." 

That's it for now! I probably got off character with A.J. a little, but since he's in the show for one episode . . . Anyway, please tell me what you think! Bye!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



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